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Excerpt from
T
HE
L
IVING
L
EGEND
by Emma Wayne Porter
She left her home and followed the covered walkway leading into the mainbuilding where the kids were housed. It had been a train depot way back when. Allsix buildings in the complex were remnants of a failed mining town, restored andre-fitted for their use.Inside the depot were ten dormitory rooms where the inmates slept. There wasalso a common room, kitchen, cafeteria, entertainment center, library, a coupleclassrooms, and a veritable maze of quiet alcoves. Most of the rehabilitationhappened in them, and what didn't go on in there went on in the athletic complexbehind the depot.Keeping the inmates' minds and bodies fully occupied was a must. Idleinmates were ornery inmates as the counselors liked to say, and the kids in thisfacility were not your average offenders. They all possessed genius-level IQs andcertain other attributes that could make them either a great asset to society orpublic enemy number one.Right now they were at their preferred limit of six cases. Tina, two gangmembers, a boy who'd been compiling an explosive device in his high school'sboiler room and an arsonist.Last but not least was their newest arrival, David Brighton. He'd been herealmost six months, and he was the first and only one she saw in the common room,draped across a chair, sulking as usual.The most troublesome of the lot by far, David was one of the smartest butmost tempestuous people Kate had ever met, and while he was a threat, he washere more for his own protection than society's. At age sixteen, he'd already usedhis computer wizardry to perpetrate a string of thefts so daring and impressive the
FBI's Internet Crime Unit and the National Security Agency were prepared to gotoe-to-toe over the boy's future career.They'd have to wait. David was nowhere near ready to be let loose into thewild again. Drug dealers and organized crime figures had been his victims of choice, and his life expectancy until certain deals were struck was minimal at best.He was a strong candidate for success, however. No matter what his historymight imply, David had a healthy sense of right and wrong, and could be verycharming when he wasn't busy hating them all. Plus he was already handsomeenough to stop traffic, which certainly wouldn't hurt any career choices he mightmake.At the moment, his curly blond mop hung over his eyes, and his clothing wasatrocious. Jeans hung low on narrow hips and the button-down shirt he'd pretendedto button was a wrinkled disaster.Kate approached with a sigh, too tired to engage in the usual battle they hadevery time she'd been gone a few days.As for David, he continued to sprawl, one eyebrow raised in haughtyannoyance."Good evening, Warden Crawford," the boy said in mock respect."Hello, sunshine. Make anyone scream today?""Two. A banner day. Sorry you missed it.""Mmm. Where is everybody?""Computer training until nine-thirty, so I'm banned for the duration," hegrumbled. "You look tired.""I am.""Where have you been all week?"She hated these questions. The kids were led to believe this was a federallyrun facility. Her Sanction duties were never discussed.David, unfortunately, already knew more about the Sanction than he should,especially about the operative who'd finally caught the little puke at his own game.
The operative in question had also been a thief. Still was, in fact, even though heworked for the Sanction now.They were very similar creatures, David and his captor. Both very handsome,very charming, and as untrusting as they were brilliant."You know I can't tell you anything," Kate said. "So stop asking.""Fine. Then tell me when I'll get computer privileges.""Uh...never?""You are so totally unfair!""I'm sure it seems that way to you, but it makes perfect sense to me. Givingyou access to a computer would be like handing a murderer a loaded weapon."His annoyed look deepened into a scowl. "And just when I was about to offera shoulder rub. Shot down in flames.""Do we need to talk about inappropriate exchanges again?""Cut me a break. You may be almost twice my age, but you're the mostbeautiful woman I've ever seen."She warned, "I don't find this amusing.""Neither do I. A guy's ego can only take so much, you know. And I'm in avery delicate mental state.""Which is why I don't find it amusing."The boy's long lashes made his eye roll impressively dramatic. "Do you haveto take everything so damned seriously? I don't mean anything by it.""Yes, you do. Making people uncomfortable gives you a measure of control,and I'd be a fool to cooperate.""Has anyone ever gotten the better of you? I mean, seriously. You're cold."He might be right. She supposed she was over-sensitive to David because of Patrick, and she'd kept her distance as a result. Being objective was impossible,and despite David's arrogance, he was indeed delicate. Any misstep on her part,and the staff would pay for it.
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